Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-27
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
PENSION BILL IN THE SENATE.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
1t Passes Unchanged in the House.

1t Passes Unchanged in the House.
MATTERS OF LOCAL INTEREST
The Senate.
Among the papers presented to the Senate to-
day was communication from the Secretary Of
the Treasury in response the resolution OF Janu-
ary 13 Mr. Vests, calling for full and complete
statement OF all monies paid out to Officers Of the
United States in the prosecution Of civil and crm-
1nal cases In state courts. Laid on the table.
MI Cullom stated that, after consultation with
MS colleague Mr: FarwelD, it was determined to
ruary ., ne would offer proper resolutions, and
ask the Senate to take proper action, with REFER
ence TO the life and services Of his late colleague
Senator Logan.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.
MI. Wilson Uowa), from the committee on post
offices, reported back the bill introduced by Mr..
Edmunds on December 10, 1885, to provide for the
estaDllshment OF postal telegraph system, with
sveS sves'sute' s' Which he stated consisted OF the
committee OF the Forty-e1ghth Congress. Calen-
adopted, calling On the Secretary OF War for re-
port as TO the number OF claims filed in the War
department. under the act OF June Sd, 1884, &C.,
un regard 10 the muster OF vOlunteers3
FRACTIONAL SILVER COIN.
Mr.. Cullom offered the following resolution,
which was adopted: whereas Since March 3lst,
1885, the Secretary OF the Treasury in his monthly
statements has treated the fractional silver coin
IN tne treasury as no portion OF the cash balance
Resotred, That the finance committee OF the
senate oe authorized and directed to examine into
TINS subject and report whether additional leg1s-
20
coin now held in the Treasury part OF the avail
able cash balance; and also whether it will be, OF
not, judlcious to provide for having such frac-
tiOnal silver coin recoined into standard silver
dollars.
REJECTED NOMINATIONS.
A resolution offered by Mr. Hoar yesterday In
executive session. declaring that after the Senate
has refused its advice and consent to the appoint
spirit and intent OF the constitution to designate
the same person to the same office Immediately
thereafter, was taken up and referred to the com
mtttee on privileges and elections.
RELIEF OF DISABLED VETERANS.
After long discussion as to the order OF bust
ness it was agreed that the railroad attorney bill
be made the unfinished business and that it come
up at two o'clock tomorrow, and the House bff
for the relief OF dependent parents and honorably
discharged soldiers and sailors who are now dis
abied and dependent upon their own labor fol
| support, was taken up and w. Mitchell advocated
the passage OF the bill.
MI Frye asked whether this bill did not pension
all The soldiers engaged in the Seminole. Mexican
and other wars, entirely regardless as to whether
they had subsequently gone into rebellion against
! the government.
MI Mitchell replied in the affirmative, but said
that disabilities incurred in the service OF the re.
Mr.. Frye suggested that the bill would open the
door to serious trouble.
Mr.. Sewell, member of the committee on
PENSIONS said that ii he had been present in
committee when the bill was before it, he would
have objected.
House Of Representatives.
The Speaker announced the unfinished business
to be the river and harbor appropriation bill. Mr.
Hepburn, OF Iowa, withdrew his demand for the
REQUIRED on the passage OF the bin.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL PASSED.
The bill was passed-yeas 154, nays 94in the
exact form in which it was reported from the
committee On rivers and harborS.
ADULTERATED FOOD.
Mr.. Dunham, OF Illinois, from the committee on
commerce, reported back the Senate bill prohibit
ing the importation Of aoulterated articles Of food
or drink. Committee of the whole.
A DISTRICT BILL
Mr.. Hemphill, Is. C.I, from the committee on the
District OF Columbia, reported a bill providing an
additional justice for the Supreme Court OF the
District Of Columbia. Committee OF the whole.
ELECTION OF SENATORS BY THE PEOPLE.
Mr.. Hammond (Ga.), from the committee on the
providing for the election of q. 8. Senators by the
people OF the states.
At the request of Mr. Weaver. Gowa,, the joint
resolution was placed upon the House calendar.
The District in Congress-.
BILL TO REPEAL THE CHARTERS OF STREET RAIL-
ROADS.
In the Senate yesterday afternoon Mr. Conger
by request) introduced bill to repeal the charters
OF the Washington and Georgetown and the Met
ropolttan street railroads, and to provide that
franchises for the routes operated by those roads
Shall be offered for public competition; also pro-
hibiting the granting OF such franchises herd 1fter
In the District OF Columbia except after advertise
ment for public competition. Referred to the Dis
trict committee.
TWO LOCAL COMPANIES.
The bill to incorporate the American Trust
company, reported in the Senate yesterday,
names Henry A. Willard, william NJ. Galt VIII
liam s. Thompson, c. r. p. Rodgers, Lewis J.
Davis, NJ. w. Beveridge, Nathaniel Wilson, j. K.
Frederick B. Mcclure and BENJAMIN Il. Warder as
the fncorporators. 1t authorizes the company to
hold deposits, execute trusts etc; and the amend
ments OF the committee make the stockholders In
diyidually liable for debts and responsibilities.
the blu to amend the National Safe Deposit COM
panys charter authorizes 1t to accept and execute
tracts OF all kinds, and also makes the StOckh0ld.
ers individually liable.
Capitol Topics.
COST OF MEXICAN PENSIONS.
Estimates for the payment of pensions under
the Mexican pension bill have been trans
mitted to the House by the Secretary of
the Treasury. In a letter from the commits.
slOner OF pensions accompanying the Secre-
tarys communication, that officer says that the
probable number OF surviving enlisted men of the
classes described in the bill is 74S and the prob
able number OF widows 13, ,S26. The amounts which
Will be required for making the first annual pay
ment Is a, ,663, 1O4, which the Commissioner re-
quests be made Immediately available. He also
says that to dispose OF the work created by the
Dill before June 3Oth next will require
an additi0nal clerical force Of one assistant
chle1 OF division, at 81 SO0 fifteen section chiefs at
$l4OO each; $50 clerks OF class one, 200 each;
niteen record clerks at 81 200 each; LhfrUy-nve
CLERKS at 81 900 each. and five messengers MAX
Ing an aggregate increase in the force OF 22l en-
ployesS and an addition to the payroll OF
$257,O0O.
THE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU AND TIE SIGNAL SER
VICE.
In the Senate the House bill tom make the agricul.
tural bureau an executive department has been
reported favorably with the amendment proposed
Dy MI. Morgan to transfer the signal bureau to
the agricultural department.. 1t is the intention
OF the friends OF the bill to press for its considera
lOn without delay, and they feel confident that it
VIII pass The indications are that Mr.. NOrgan'S
proposition, to strip the signal service Of its mi-
C0Ty features and make iG q part OF the agT1cul-
sideratt0n.
LOOKING TO APPROPRIATION OF 500, OO0, 600.
Tne House committee on banking and currency
yesterday listened to an argument by Geo. O. Jones
president OF the National Greenback association,